


Better Late Than Never

by rpfwriters



Category: Actor RPF, American (US) Actor RPF, Marvel Cinematic Universe RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Languages of Love, Love Language, Reader-Insert, reader - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-31 05:06:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17843021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rpfwriters/pseuds/rpfwriters
Summary: My language was: Viraha (Hindi) - The realization of love through separation.





	Better Late Than Never

It was 1989 and, while you were a sophomore, your childhood friend, Jeremy, was set to graduate. He had been accepted to the local junior college, enrolling in computer science and criminology. He was such a nerd, and, even though you teased him relentlessly about it, you absolutely loved that about him.

Your plan was to join him a couple of years later, but you never got the chance. Jeremy needed to take an elective, and he chose a drama class. After that, he decided to pursue acting. Despite his assurances that he’d always stay in touch, the letters and calls grew further apart, until finally, they stopped altogether. Not that you stopped trying to keep in touch, but when his cell phone number had changed, you knew that was the end.

It was then, in the absence of your best friend, the boy you cried to over the stupidest things, that you realized you didn’t just love Jeremy, you were  _in_  love with him. Talk about shitty timing.

As much as you wanted to find a way to get a hold of him, admit your feelings to him, you couldn’t bring yourself to actually do it. What if he laughed in your face? What if he flat out turned you down? Jeremy was well on his way to become this Hollywood heartthrob that would be batting off women left and right. He wouldn’t have time for you.

You tried not to follow his career because of how much it hurt, all of the memories flooding your mind, reminding you of all the time you could have had with him, the time you  _did_  have with him; wasted time, but it was too damn difficult. Even when he would have a girlfriend, you found yourself unable to stop keeping tabs on him.

Then his girlfriend had a baby, and they got married; all within less than a year. You wanted to be happy for him, you really did, but your heart wouldn’t let you. Even though it had no right to do so, it shattered into a fine dust. That was when you tuned out anything and everything to do with Jeremy. 

* * *

_**EARLY 2015** _

You had just finished taping a box closed, the last of your father’s belongings, wrapped in newspaper, the box marked fragile. Losing him to cancer was hard, but going through his personal items, deciding what to keep and donate; that almost broke you. Your mother had just gone up to rest. You knew she was hiding behind a mask of ‘I’m fine’, that she was crumbling apart inside, barely holding it together. There was nothing you could do to help her ease the ache of losing her high school sweetheart, no matter how hard you tried.

When the doorbell rang, you expected it to be your friend Tara, she now owned the local thrift store and was coming over to take away your father’s things.

After calling out, “The door’s open,” you worked your hair into a high knot and wiped at your tear-streaked face.

A low voice made you jump. “Ain’t you a sight for sore eyes.”

_No fucking way._

You turned around, and sure enough, there stood Jeremy. Bastard looked even better than the last time you’d seen him, and that had been on the big screen. It damn near took your breath away. He was exactly as you remembered him, and yet, he was so very different.

“Been a long time, Jer,” you breathed.

Jeremy hummed in agreement. “Sure has. I uh, I’m sorry ‘bout your dad.”

You swiped a hand over your eyes that threatened to spill more tears. “Thanks,” was all you could manage at that moment.

“You uh… you just passin’ through?” you asked after a long moment of almost awkward silence.

One of his large shoulders popped up. “I guess. I haven’t really decided. Just wanted to get away from everyone… everything since the divorce.”

“Wait… what?” Nope, you didn’t say that in your head.

Jeremy chuckled as you tried to sputter an apology. “It’s fine, Y/N. I’m just surprised you didn’t know about it. And that sounded egotistical, holy shit,” he laughed, pushing deep lines into the corners of his eyes. You hated the way your stomach flipped lazily as the rich tone of his laugh washed over you. You were over him, or at least you  _thought_  you were over him.

“I got busy with work,” you semi-lied. “You know how it is.”

As if hearing the voices that screamed and cried inside your head, Jeremy shook his head, his brows furrowed, his expression serious. “I should have stayed in touch.”

Your chin quaked without your permission. “Yeah,” you agreed, throat thick, tears stinging your eyes enough that you closed your eyes.

“Let me make it up to you.” The closeness of hushed his voice took you by surprise.

“What do you mean?” you murmured, unable to take a step back due to the table behind you.

Jeremy smirked, and it sent a tingle racing down your spine. “Go out with me.”

There was a bubble of nerves in your chest and throat that threatened to spill out. “But… the div-”

His mouth was on yours, swallowing your weak words of protest. You melted into him, fingernails scraping through his hair, pushing up to your toes, opening your mouth to him. Jeremy cupped your face, sweeping his thumb down the column of your neck, fingers gripping the back of your neck and hip, pulling you tighter to him.

When you pulled back, he rested his forehead against yours and panted. “Should’a done that a long time ago.”

“Yeah,” you agreed, touching your nose to his. “Better late than never.”


End file.
